Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Second Life used to teach relaxation techniques]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Second Life - happy avatars
Who says Second Life's best days are behind it? Not Medical News Today, which reports that the long-running virtual world from Linden Lab has been successfully used to teach relaxation techniques. Massachusetts General Hospital researchers recently conducted a study that concluded that online worlds like Second Life can be useful in "teaching a mind/body approach that includes the relaxation response."

The study found that by doing away with the limitations of face-to-face meetings (and easing the minds of participants who are uncomfortable in real-world group settings), virtual worlds can foster more relaxing and healthy experiences. The study featured 24 individuals who were divided into three groups and subjected to eight weeks of online sessions in Second Life.

Researchers found that participants "showed reductions in depression- and anxiety-related symptoms," though it's also important to note that participants had prior experiences with virtual worlds.

MassivelySecond Life used to teach relaxation techniques originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2llindenlinden-labmassachusetts-general-hospitalmedical-news-todayreal-lifesandboxsecond-lifesecond-life-relaxation-researchsecond-life-researchsecond-life-studyslvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsWed, 04 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/free-for-all-i-got-the-second-life-inventory-management-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/free-for-all-i-got-the-second-life-inventory-management-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/free-for-all-i-got-the-second-life-inventory-management-blues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Second Life screenshot
Every year I attempt to go through my Second Life inventory in the hope that it actually works out for me. I really do want to get rid of the 7,000+ items I have after eight years in the game (my game-birthday is on May 26th!), but it's such a daunting task. Where do you start? Is organization really even needed? Well, yes it is, from what I have heard. Everyone is running in-world carrying endless pockets filled with everything possible, and that's going to cause some lag and effort on the server's part.

Also, I have an obsession with minimizing my life. I hate physical stuff. It takes up room, collects dust, and just sits there. Sure, I maintain all of my art if I can and some other important items like pictures and cute little knick-knacks, but otherwise, if I don't use it, it gets tossed, sold, or set on the curb for the junk-people to grab.

I feel the same way about Second Life. There's a mental burden that years of junk presses onto someone, digital representation or not. It's no wonder those people in that Hoarders show look so down; it's a hard life to lose the ability to throw anything away, ever.

I am making a stand, slowly. I am going to get this inventory under control by coming up with some ideas to help me along.

Continue reading Free for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues

MassivelyFree for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumftpinventory-managementLindenlinden-labsecond-lifeSOESony-Online-EntertainmentWed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Previously On MVTV: The week of March 17th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/25/previously-on-mvtv-the-week-of-march-17th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/25/previously-on-mvtv-the-week-of-march-17th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/25/previously-on-mvtv-the-week-of-march-17th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Previously On banner
Ah, livestreaming: the greatest thing we do here at Massively. Well, in my opinion at least. Playing video games live for others to watch is not just about virtual glory or showing off just how tough our rigs are (Jeremy wins, anyway), but they can act as instructional guides, introductions to new games, and special glimpses of content that has never before been seen. It's sort of a sad fact that some of these livestreams can do the work of entire columns. Pictures might be worth a thousand words, but animated pictures are worth much more.

This week we have a lot of variety as well as some old favorites for you. Be sure to check out and bookmark our MVTV Guide so that you know what is coming up and when to set your alarm clock. Once you're in the chat room, you can ask questions, point out errors (we love that), and jump into the game with the streamers!

In this week's roundup, Blake starts off with some Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Richie follows up with a bit of Guild Wars action. Next we have Mike returning to EVE Online and then popping into RIFT for some more exploration of the initial free 20 levels. I then take the time to add some animations to my otherwise-bland character in Second Life and then show off a bit of Parallel Kingdom, a browser-based MMO that is layered on top of the real-world map! Jeremy rounds things out with more Atlantica Online, showing off the Tactical Battle System that acts a lot like a boardgame within the game.

Continue reading Previously On MVTV: The week of March 17th

MassivelyPreviously On MVTV: The week of March 17th originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarena-nearenanavatarbiowareccpeve-onfeaturedguild-warguild-wars-2lindenlinden-lablivelivestreamlivestreamingmassively-streamteammassively-tvmv-tvmvtvparallel-kingdomperblueriftround-uproundupsecond-lifestar-warsstreamstreamersstreamingstreamteamswtortriontwitchtwitch-tvtwitchtvvideovideosSun, 25 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab's Second Life 'extremely profitable,' company looking to expand]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Second Life - hot air balloon at sunset
Second Life has dropped out of the limelight in recent years, but if a new piece at GamesIndustry.biz is on the mark, the long-running virtual world may be primed for something of a renaissance.

Former Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon vacated the throne in June 2010, and veteran developer Rod Humble took over at the beginning of 2011. Since then, the EverQuest and The Sims veteran has been working hard to bring a bit of structure to Second Life's virtual sprawl, and in the process, reinvigorate what was one of the first MMORPG media darlings.

"I was taken aback by just how big Second Life was," Humble says. "To be honest, it had fallen off my radar until I got the call offering me the position. And I looked at their numbers; this is a world that has got 1 million people logging in every month, generating well in excess of $75 million a year -- it's extremely profitable."

Humble spent much of 2011 refining the product, and everything from the sign-up process to the UI to world transportation received some attention. The result was a 40 percent uptick in new users, and now Humble is bent on expanding Linden Lab's offerings beyond Second Life. "Linden Lab has been very successful with one innovative product, but I want to stretch the company out again, to make it a really exciting place where people can't wait to find out about the next unusual title we're going to release," he said.

MassivelyLinden Lab's Second Life 'extremely profitable,' company looking to expand originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2llindenlinden-labreal-liferod-humblesandboxsecond-lifeslvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsThu, 15 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life's Rod Humble on accessibility, new tech, and the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Second Life doesn't get a ton of press anymore, partly because of its age and party because -- even after nearly eight years -- people still don't know what to make of it. Is it a game? Is it a virtual world? Is it a melting pot for anyone who has ever thought to themselves: "I know! Let's code, model, and distribute some giant free-standing genitalia!"

Luckily, Rock, Paper Shotgun has stepped up to interview new Linden Lab boss Rod Humble and shed some light on the matter. Humble recently left EA after six years overseeing the second and third entries in the long running Sims franchise, and speaks about trading the relatively insulated world of virtual suburbia for the wild and incredibly untamed frontiers of Second Life.

"What makes Second Life so intriguing to me is its hard to define nature. I have heard people call it a virtual world, a game, the 3D internet, a social media platform, the list goes on. I like that kind of unresolved ambiguity, I think it shows something that is not yet fully evolved and has exciting new roads to discover," Humble says. He goes on to outline plans to revamp Second Life's performance, ease-of-use, and service aspects in order to counter the recent decline in user hours.

MassivelySecond Life's Rod Humble on accessibility, new tech, and the future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eainterviewlindenlinden-labmmo-industryrock-paper-shotgunrod-humblerpssecond-lifethe-simsuser-contentvirtual-worldsThu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab CEO steps down]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


TechCrunch has announced more changes in the works for Linden Lab's troubled Second Life virtual world. On the heels of a move that laid off 30 percent of its workforce, the company has announced that CEO Mark Kingdon will be stepping down and giving way to Linden founder Philip Rosedale in an interim capacity. Additionally, CFO Bob Komin has taken on the role of COO.

Linden has yet to announce a definitive reason for the upper-management restructuring, but many are speculating that the company will be looking to add a CEO with experience in the burgeoning social networking scene.

Rosedale, posting on the Linden blog, had the following to say regarding the moves: "Our thinking as a team is that my returning to the CEO job now can bring a product and technology focus that will help rapidly improve Second Life. We need to simplify and focus our product priorities - concentrating all our capabilities on making Second Life easier to use and better for the core experiences that it is delivering today. I think that I can be a great help and a strong leader in that process."


Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

MassivelyLinden Lab CEO steps down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob-kominlindenlinden-labmark-kingdonphilip-rosedalesecond-lifesocial-gamingvirtual-worldsThu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Motu Teya panorama]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/one-shots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/one-shots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/one-shots/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Today's One Shots comes to us courtesy of a person that many Second Life folks know and love -- Torley! Originally he contacted us to tell us he really enjoyed looking at the One Shots gallery, but he also linked in his own awesome gallery of panoramic Second Life shots in the mail. We couldn't resist featuring some of his gorgeous panoramic screenshots here! Of this one (which you really should see full-size to appreciate) Torley said, "Bruce Patton is so nice, he came up with this project and... it made a dream of Philip's come true in Second Life -- golf!"

Do you have some great panoramic screenshots that you made from your favorite game or virtual world? Perhaps you caught a fantastic sunset that just made everything look fantastic. Whatever your story or screen, we want to see them! Send them to us here at oneshots AT massively.com, along with whatever information you'd like to give us about them.

Gallery: One Shots




MassivelyOne Shots: Motu Teya panorama originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>golflindenone-shotspanoramapanoramicscreenshotscreenshotssecond-lifetorleyWed, 14 May 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kids are the focus at VW08]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/kids-are-the-focus-at-vw08/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/kids-are-the-focus-at-vw08/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/kids-are-the-focus-at-vw08/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Businesses have tried marketing to adults in Second Life. It's not working out for them. Instead, adults are gravitating toward casual games, while it's children who have shown themselves to be most receptive to marketing in virtual worlds. Such is the feeling at the Virtual Worlds 2008 conference in New York City, where aside from a single booth promoting Linden Lab's Second Life Grid, the place seemed like a toy fair. Barbie Girls Online, Nickelodeon, Neopets and Dino Kids are getting the big buzz at VW08. Teen-oriented sites like MTV's vLES are mature by comparison.

Electric Sheep's Giff Constable says over the last three years, while he feels more people know what avatars are, he doesn't know any people over the time who have gotten one of their own. Part of that may be just what your definition of avatar is -- if it's meant to be an avatar on Second Life, that's one thing. An avatar in a social space like Facebook, perhaps something else.

Continue reading Kids are the focus at VW08

MassivelyKids are the focus at VW08 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbiebarbie-girlsbarbie-girls-onlinedino-kidselectric-sheepelectric-sheep-companyfacebookgiff-constablelindenlinden-labmmo-industrymtvneopetssecond-lifeslvirtual-worlds-2008vlesvw08Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cry "havoc" and let slip the squirrels of war!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/cry-havoc-and-let-slip-the-squirrels-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/cry-havoc-and-let-slip-the-squirrels-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/cry-havoc-and-let-slip-the-squirrels-of-war/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Only in our case it is not "havoc" but "Havok" and most people don't wander Second Life's islands in in squirrel avatars. Apparently this weekend's RC3 update went well and Havok will be hitting the grid today -- albeit a bit late in the day. From the official blog we have the report that the server previously known as the Havok 4 Beta Server (now Second Life Simulator v1.20.0.83683), after some bug fixes this morning, has started rolling out to the live grid. Tonight it will only be implemented for early adopters, welcome areas, orientation islands, and 1200 randomly selected Second Life regions -- but by tomorrow Havok will hit the rest of the grid.

Though no one around the Massively office actually remembers how long it has been since Second Life's residents were promised an upgrade from the Havok 1 engine the simulator has been using since pre-beta, but we're fairly certain it was at least 2003. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we're breaking out the champaign and party hats: Havok 4 has arrived!

MassivelyCry "havoc" and let slip the squirrels of war! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>havokhavok-4lindenlinden-labsecond-lifesecond-life-simulatorslMon, 31 Mar 2008 20:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrating Easter in Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/celebrating-easter-in-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/celebrating-easter-in-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/celebrating-easter-in-second-life/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


While many of you may have spent yesterday coloring eggs or biting the ears off chocolate bunnies, many people celebrated the holiday virtually in Second Life. For those of you too busy in real life to enjoy virtual life, we've captured some of Second Life's Easter celebration in pictures. Visit giant bunnies, hunt for eggs, join in an Easter parade, and color eggs of our very own all without leaving the safe confines of your browser! So what are you waiting for? Let's get started!

Gallery: Easter 2008 in Second Life

MassivelyCelebrating Easter in Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eastereaster-bunnyeaster-eggeaster-egg-hunteaster-paradeegg-huntlindenlinden-labNew-Toulouseparadespringspring-2008Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[It's Sunday and the Second Life grid is behaving badly [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We shouldn't be surprised really, but after a few good weeks of shopping, rezzing, teleporting, sending money, group IMs and the rest, many of Second Life's In World Services are acting up. There are about 57,500 people online at the moment (depending on exactly when you try to log in and get the numbers) which is a slight increase in the peak concurrency from last week, and it appears just enough to make the asset cluster scream in agony for the first time in a few months.

No word on the official blog as yet, but be warned your Second Life experience may be rather poor at the moment.


Update: The official blog has been updated to say they're experiencing a temporary interruption of In World Services and, "Please refrain from land and L$ transactions until we give an all clear."

Update #2: Though Linden recently gave the all clear, they're now reporting there are still some functionality issues. We don't have any specifics, only, "We are looking into this and will update you as soon as we have information."

Update #3: As of 5:19 PM EST (2:19 SLT), "In world services are beginning to resume. Some transactions were delayed and are catching up."

Update #4: As of 2:47 SL Time the problem is re-opened. Do not conduct land or L$ transactions.

Update#5: As of 3:15 SLT it is meant to be fixed again. Some caution might be in order, but back in the pool everyone!

MassivelyIt's Sunday and the Second Life grid is behaving badly [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concurrencylindenlinden-labloadperformanceSecond-LifeslSun, 09 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST